Questions for christians and accepting christ?

Question

so whoever doesnt accept christ goes to hell according to christianity right? now ive heard people say that dead babies go automatically to heaven... why or where is that written? also what about mentally retarded people who have no understanding of what jesus even is?

where does it say they need to be able to tell right from wrong

Answer 1

They have to be able to tell right from wrong.

Answer 2

Good question, Red Eye Agnostic. Dead babies do go to heaven because they have no concept of God, sin, salvation, or any of that. God is not cruel; he would not send someone to hell who was not even mature enough to understand his requirements for salvation. The same goes for the mentally challenged people. They cannot understand, therefore he is merciful and will let them into heaven. The Bible is silent on many things, not just that, but we can still come up with logical answers. Only the willing rejector of Christ goes to hell according to our faith.

Answer 3

The only thing the Bible says about dead babies going to Heaven, was when King David's illegitimate son died soon after being born. David fasted and prayed for him until he died, then when he knew the baby was dead, David said this: "But now he has died; why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me." 2 Samuel 12:23

If David knew that his baby went to Heaven, can we take that to mean that all babies go to Heaven? I would think so, but you may think otherwise.

Now, concerning "mentally retarded people," I assume that you mean people who are not capable of knowing right from wrong because of their mental state, people who never knew the difference? The only thing the Bible says is:
Gen 18:25 "... Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?"

I think we can safely say that God, who is just, will do what is right for those people.

Answer 4

As much as sometimes I don't agree with what you say I must say I agree with you. Just like the people found in Brazil a while ago. They had never had outside contact so they spoke a language that no one else could understand, knew of no Jesus or Bible, and don't know of the technology out there. No one knows how long they have been there. The only things they do is the basic things to survive. Are they to be dammed to hell as well?

Answer 5

It isn't because you haven't accepted Christ that sends you to hell. It is the fact that you have sinned against a Holy, Righteous God that sends you to hell. God and sin cannot co-exist. Therefore no man has seen God or could live in the presence of God. The only way to enter God's presence is to be born-again. In John 3 Jesus says that you must be born again to enter the kingdom of heaven. You must repent of your sins and trust Jesus to save you from God's holy, righteous judgment. Only Jesus was a perfect sacrifice for sin. Without Jesus, no one could enter God's presence. Again repent and trust. It is your only chance, and a Christian takes this by faith and faith alone. There is nothing you can do to work your way to heaven.

God holds man accountable for what they have heard about his son, Jesus. Because you have heard the gospel it is up to you and you alone to respond. If you don't, then God holds you more guilty then a mentally disabled person. You have to trust that God will do the right thing with babies.

Answer 6

At the judgment, we will all be judged based on what we have done, whether good or evil.

2 Corinthians 5:10 says, "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad."

Babies have done nothing evil. They have not sinned, which is transgressing the law of God (1 John 3:4).

Furthermore, babies have not inherited the guilt of sin (Ezekiel 18:20).

We will each be judged by what we have done. We are expected to follow God to the best of our ability. Babies and those born mentally incapable do not have the ability to either chose to sin nor to obey. They therefore remain in a safe condition. We will be only judged based upon our ability.

Answer 7

There is reason to believe from portions of the Bible that there is such a thing as an "age of accountability" where a person is not held responsible for their acts because they lack understanding and of course babies or mentally retarded people would fall into that category. In this passage God tells the rebellious Israelites that their children will inherit the promised land because they were not old enough to know the difference between good and evil.

Deuteronomy 1:39 And as for your little ones, who you said would become a prey, and your children, who today have no knowledge of good or evil, they shall go in there. And to them I will give it, and they shall possess it.

Here David says that his infant who died would preceed him in Heaven.

2 Samuel 12:19 But when David saw that his servants were whispering together, David understood that the child was dead. And David said to his servants, "Is the child dead?" They said, "He is dead." 20 Then David arose from the earth and washed and anointed himself and changed his clothes. And he went into the house of the LORD and worshiped. He then went to his own house. And when he asked, they set food before him, and he ate. 21 Then his servants said to him, "What is this thing that you have done? You fasted and wept for the child while he was alive; but when the child died, you arose and ate food." 22 He said, "While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept, for I said, 'Who knows whether the LORD will be gracious to me, that the child may live?' 23 But now he is dead. Why should I fast? Can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he will not return to me."

Answer 8

The fact that only those who accept Christ go to heaven is based on Bible verses like John 14:6 where Jesus says "I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father, but through Me." This is disturbing, of course, when this statement is considered in the context of people like those mentioned in the question - because those individuals do not have the same opportunity to understand Christ's message of salvation as do those without those limitations. One key issue that helps resolve distress over this and similar questions is to recognize that the Bible teaches that those without those limitations ('us') are not that different from those who are limited ('them') - that is, 'we' come to know and love God in virutally the same ways as 'they' do. Both groups are spiritually dead to God because of sin (Ephesians 2:1); both, because of their spiritual death, are unable to see or understand God's ways or obey Him (Romans 8:6-8); both need God's Spirit to awaken them to His Kingdom (John 3:3-8), and both only become His Children as a gift of God's mercy, by simply believing and not by works. Romans 3:22-24, 28; Ephesians 2:8-9. What I think this tells us about your question is that there is far less difference between 'us' and 'them' than we tend to think. 'We' need God's enlightening, life-giving mercy in our lives as much as 'they' do; we just tend not to understand that. So, for the majority of the cases you ask about, I'm saying that God can extend mercy, give enough understanding and provide whatever is needed to save people He has called to be His children. And, as for the most severe limitations where the individual just does not have any human ability to even comprehend a simple message offering the gospel; we can say that the Bible is silent on that question. Yet, when we think of God's great mercy and the character He displays in the Bible, I think we can say that saving all those who cannot undertand enough to believe him would be consistent with His mercy and character. That is what I think He does. I hope this is helpful; and perhaps comforting too.

Answer 9

Infants who die without benefit of baptism go to Limbo. I am not sure how long you must stay there. Maybe God will let you into Heaven on the Last Day because you have only Original Sin on your soul but never had the opportunity to accept Christ. You also never had the opportunity to decline Him, so I'm hoping the 47 million babies we have killed since 1973 can get in.

The mentally deficient are special cases and God has a place for them, I'm sure. He wouldn't damn people to Hell who have no capacity to accept or reject Him, right? I suppose He treats them just like unbaptised babies...

Answer 10

How do you know that the retarded don't know who Jesus is? You aren't, but they can still feel Him spiritually, anybody can.
Some people say that, but I haven't heard that dead babies go to Heaven. They are born into sin, but since they aren't alive.... I don't know. Sorry.

Answer 11

Is not a retarded person no more than a little child and both
innocent before the true nature of God which pure Love